Days of Miracle and Wonder

[capt_facepalm]

Title: Days of Miracle and Wonder
Author: capt_facepalm
Rating: PG
Fandom: Sherlock Holmes (Gaslight ACD)
Characters: Major John Watson, RAMC
Summary: A doctor's lot is not a happy one
Warnings: (none)
Word Count: 100
Author's Notes: July 8th 2016 prompt: The Wonder of the Age

.oOOo.

Major Watson had seen vast improvements in medicine throughout the years: the triumph of germ theory over miasma led to progress in infection prevention, formerly deadly diseases could be treated with medications, and the advances in anaesthesia were nothing short of miraculous.

So many lives he saw lost as a junior medical officer could now be saved.

Yet he looked around his ward and saw burns from flamethrowers, phosphorous shrapnel, grenades, machinegun fire, and the horror that was mustard gas…

Sadly he realised that all the medical advances in the world would continually be outstripped by humanity’s appetite for destruction.

.oOOo.

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Comments

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

So poignant and so true.

[capt-facepalm.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Sometimes the angst is real and other times the real is angst. Thanks!

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

Yes, indeed. A very strong drabble, fitting well into canon.

[capt-facepalm.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Sometimes these drabbles mean just a little bit more.

[pompey01.livejournal.com]

So very, very true. :(

(I promise, I wrote my challenge answer before I read this!)

[capt-facepalm.livejournal.com]

We are a group of like-minded, creative people and our fandom is narrowly focused. I am actually more surprised by the diversity that emerges from these prompts than by any similarities. My game plan is to read the prompt early, cogitate as long as necessary, write and post before reading all others, and maintain a clear conscience about any overlap. When I purposely borrow from another writer, I always ask for permission first. So thanks, and know that your fic is awesome on its own and did not need to borrow anything from mine.

[pompey01.livejournal.com]

My game plan is virtually identical to yours -- which sometimes means that it's days before I read others' entries. :)

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

It's a constant arms race between Destroy and Preserve.

[capt-facepalm.livejournal.com]

True enough. But there is more to it as well. It seems that with every new innovation there is a rush to weaponise it. I find that disturbing and profoundly sad. Thanks!

[debriswoman]

Sadly true.

[capt-facepalm.livejournal.com]

Indeed. Thanks!

[maestress83.livejournal.com]

Too true. :(

[capt-facepalm.livejournal.com]

Sadly, yes. Thanks!

[hagstrom]

What a truthful and well considered drabble! Excellent!

[capt-facepalm.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much!

[caffienekitty]

Oh very well done.

[capt-facepalm.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I really wanted to say something with this one.

[med_cat]

Unfortunately so...and then the medical advances bring their own problems too...

[capt-facepalm.livejournal.com]

Indeed. So many survived wounds that would have killed them in years past. Thanks!

[med_cat]

Quite...you're most welcome, as always.

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately the case when military need drives innovation.

[capt-facepalm.livejournal.com]

And when military need does not drive the innovation, it is quick to adopt it and pervert it for its own purposes. Thanks!